End is near for Afghan war: President Obama and President Karzai accelerate timetable

President Barack Obama and President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan speak at a news conference in the East Room at the White House in Washington, Friday, Jan. 11, 2013. (AP Photo / Charles Dharapak)

WASHINGTON?? Uneasy allies, President Barack Obama and Afghan President Hamid Karzai agreed on one big idea: After 11 years of war, the time is right for U.S. forces to let Afghans do their own fighting.

U.S. and coalition forces will take a battlefield back seat by spring and, by implication, go home in larger numbers soon thereafter.

"It will be a historic moment," Obama declared.

In a White House meeting billed as a chance to take stock of a war that ranks as America's longest, Obama and Karzai agreed to accelerate their timetable for putting the Afghanistan army in the lead combat role nationwide. It will happen this spring instead of summer ? a shift that looks small but looms larger in the debate over how quickly to bring U.S. troops home and whether some should stay after combat ends in 2014.

The two leaders also agreed that the Afghan government would be given full control of detention centers and detainees. They did not reach agreement on an equally sticky issue: whether any U.S. troops remaining after 2014 would be granted immunity from prosecution under Afghan law.

Obama declared that "it will not be possible" for the U.S. to keep troops in the country after 2014 without an agreement that guarantees them immunity from prosecution.

Karzai has resisted that idea but seemed to soften Friday.

"I can go to the Afghan people and argue for immunity for U.S. troops in Afghanistan in a way that Afghan sovereignty will not be compromised," he said.

At a joint news conference with Karzai in the White House East Room, Obama said he was not yet ready to decide the pace of U.S. troop withdrawals between now and December 2014. That is the target date set by NATO and the Afghan government for the international combat mission to end. There are now 66,000 U.S. troops there.

"By the end of next year, 2014, the transition will be complete ? Afghans will have full responsibility for their security, and this war will come to a responsible end," he said, noting that more than 2,000 Americans have died since the war began in October 2001.

The Afghan army and police now have 352,000 in training or on duty, although that number is viewed by many as unsustainable because the government is almost entirely reliant on international aid to pay the bills. Obama and Karzai must also decide whether a residual U.S. force will remain after 2014.

Some private security analysts ? and some in the Pentagon ? worry that pulling out too quickly will leave Afghanistan vulnerable to collapse.

"Numbers are not going to make a difference to the situation in Afghanistan," Karzai said. "It's the broader relationship that will make a difference."

Friday's meeting was the first with Karzai since Obama's November re-election.

Source: http://www.denverpost.com/nationworld/ci_22358581/end-near-afghan-war-oblama-karzai-accelerate-pace?source=rss

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Norway: The Saami Parliament In Norway Expresses Its Sympathy With The Indigenous Peoples In Canada

Details

Published on Thursday, 10 January 2013 23:04

Indigenous peoples in Canada and others who sympathize for the indigenous demands have during almost two months staged ongoing demonstrations throughout the country, thus displaying the fact that the Canadian government has, by a number of decisions shown that it intends to limit indigenous rights within the country.

The indigenous non-violent manifestations under the banner ?Idle No More? is a grass root level movement gaining support from many groups and individuals in the Canadian society. The Saami parliament is concerned regarding this situation and is preparing to address the Canadian ministry of Health. Canada will from coming spring be managing the chairmanship of the Arctic Council.

Says Egil Olli president of the Saami Parliament: "On behalf of the Saami Parliament I wish to express our sympathy and support to the struggle and effort now staged by the indigenous peoples of Canada. Not the least I want to express my concern to the health of Chief Theresa Spence from the Attawapiskat nation who now has been hunger-striking almost a whole month protesting against the miserable social and economic conditions of the Canadian indigenous peoples. I see it necessary to address this matter at my meeting with the Canadian minister on Health at The Arctic Council Session on January 20 this year."

"The current protests, having lasted more than two months begun due to the fact that indigenous rights have been limited through act amendments carried out without any consultations or consent by indigenous peoples. The protests culminated when Chief Theresa Spence of the Attawapiskat nation started her hunger-strike December 11 against the prevailing miserable social and economic conditions within the Canadian indigenous societies. The hunger-strike still goes on."

""Idle No More" and the indigenous movement we now see in Canada is a strong signal to the authorities telling them that this unwillingness to accomplish indigenous rights cannot be accepted. Indigenous peoples have a right to maintain their identity and culture, gain respect for historical accords settled with the state, right to their traditional lands and resources and, right to efficient participation in decision-making processes that concerns them," says Egil Olli, president of the Saami Parliament.

Olli continues: "We note that the Prime Minister of Canada, Mr. Steven Harper has agreed to meet madam Spence and other indigenous leaders on January 11, 2013. The Saami Parliament invites the Canadian authorities to act in accordance with principles of the UN Declaration on Indigenous Rights, which Canada has adhered to."

The president of the Saami Parliament, Egil Olli refers to The UN Declaration on Indigenous Peoples, which acknowledges that Indigenous peoples are entitled to establish priorities and strategies on how their rights to development shall be practiced, including the right to develop or utilize own land areas, territories and resources. The UN Declaration is evident in expressing that states in good faith, through consultations and in collaboration with indigenous peoples, shall ask for their free and prior informed consent before decisions and implementing of laws or administrative measures are carried out. Further the president of the Saami Parliament also says that Declaration on Indigenous Peoples states that indigenous peoples have right to be recognized, that treaties are respected and that agreements and constructive ordinances settles with states and the states? successors and further, that concerned states adheres and respects such treaties, settlements and ordinances.

The Saami Parliament encourages the Canadian government, through consultations and in cooperation with the indigenous peoples of the country to, as soon as possible carry out effective steps in order to adjust suitable conditions for implementation of indigenous rights in accordance with accepted international standards, the president of the Saami parliament concludes.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/IndigenousPeoplesResources/~3/_nmYoA14kWI/index.php

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PFT: No comment from Bears about Trestman

AP

As Peyton Manning prepares to quarterback the Broncos in the playoffs a year after he sat out his final season with the Colts following multiple neck surgeries, the coach who guided him through his comeback is calling it a tribute to Manning?s hard work.

David Cutcliffe, the Duke head coach who was Manning?s quarterbacks coach in college, supervised Manning?s recovery during his year out of the game. And in a feature that will air Saturday on NFL Network?s NFL GameDay Morning, Cutcliffe details just how hard Manning worked to get to this point. The NFL Network feature includes footage from a simulated game Manning ran at Duke?s football facility in which he made every single throw the same way he had made them in a 2010 playoff win over the Jets, and that?s a ?game? Cutcliffe says he remains very proud of ?winning.?

?I don?t think I ever won a game that I felt better about what we accomplished than this ballgame that nobody watched,? Cutcliffe said. ?It is really a story worth telling about hard work. Everybody says, ?I?ll do whatever it takes.? That?s whatever it takes right there.?

Manning, who had four neck procedures in 2011, was far, far away from being able to do that when he and Cutcliffe first began rehabbing together. In fact, Cutcliffe said that Manning sent him video of his workouts shortly after his last neck procedure, and he was struggling to throw passes so much at first that Cutcliffe ordered him not to lift a football for fear he was going to make things work.

?I called him immediately and I said, ?You need to stop throwing now. You?re getting ready to hurt yourself. You need to focus on getting well, not getting back,?? Cutcliffe recalled.

NFL Network?s segment includes the footage Cutcliffe had the Duke staff shoot of Manning progressing from just lobbing the ball 10 yards to making all the throws he has to make in an NFL game, and it?s an impressive journey. One that Broncos fans can be glad Manning made.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/01/11/reports-from-chicago-cast-doubt-on-trestman-getting-job/related

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Hollywood Stories

Hollywood Stories

Mark Wahlberg Changes His Career? [The Frisky] Piers Morgan Can Stay in the US [HollyWire] Justin Bieber Needs New Friends? [Right Celebrity] “Hangover” Writers Heading to TV [The Celebrity Cafe] Kaley Cuoco Cheats at Ping Pong [The Blemish] Rita Wilson Plays a Cougar [The Huffington Post] David Bowie Releases New Single [Bump Shack] Lily Allen ...

Hollywood Stories Stupid Celebrities Gossip Stupid Celebrities Gossip News

Source: http://stupidcelebrities.net/2013/01/hollywood-stories/

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City eyes West Boise sports complex changes

Boise Parks and Recreation Department will host a public meeting Jan. 24 to discuss a proposal that would install three lighted lacrosse fields ? two with synthetic turf and one with natural grass ? at the Charles F. McDevitt Sports Complex in West Boise. A revised plan would also include a restroom and concessions building, baseball field lights and scoreboards, pathways, landscaping and additional parking.

Boise hasn't calculated the cost of the upgrades yet, Parks and Recreation Department spokeswoman Amy Stahl said. Fees collected from youth sports activities would pay for the upgrades.

The meeting will start at 6 p.m. in the Lowell Scott Middle School library, 13600 W. McMillan Rd.

The Charles F. McDevitt Sports Complex is a 20-acre special use park located at 5101 N. Eagle Rd. The primary area to be discussed is a 10-acre undeveloped corner of the park next to Eagle Road. The current master plan features a community center at the site.

Maps showing the current and proposed master plans are available on the Boise Parks & Recreation website at http://bit.ly/masterplancomments.

If you are unable to attend but would like to submit comments, please contact Kelly Burrows, Project Manager, at kburrows@cityofboise.org or 208-608-7634.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/IdahostatesmancomLocalNews/~3/7wca1xOw5w8/city-eyes-west-boise-sports-complex.html

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Samsung confirms no Windows RT tablets for US markets, blames tepid retail demand

Well, the Windows RT tablet market just got a bit less crowded, as Samsung has confirmed to CNET that its ATIV Tab won't be sold or distributed in the US. The company's decision is based in part upon feedback from retail partners, which suggested that such a product would be only modestly successful in the marketplace. Samsung also pointed to the lack of education about Windows RT, and suggested that it would require too much of an investment to properly inform consumers of the differences between it and Windows 8. Instead, the company will take a wait and see approach to gauge how the Windows RT market develops -- we've heard this line before. It's currently unclear whether Samsung's decision will affect the availability of its Windows RT tablets in other markets.

Filed under: Tablets, Samsung

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Via: TNW

Source: CNET

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/uoCkX51DOvI/

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Nicolas Winding Refn Leaves The Equalizer

Drive director Nicholas Winding Refn was in talks to direct Denzel Washington in The Equalizer, but those talks didn't pan out. The two parties were close to a deal, but, for unknown reasons, it fell apart in the final hour, Collider has learned.

Sony still plans to shoot the movie in May though, so the studio will be looking for Refn's replacement. As for who that will be, Sony probably has someone in mind since the studio met with a bunch of directors before settling on Refn.

Scripted by The Expendables 2's Richard Wenk, The Equalizer is an adaptation of the '80s TV series starring Edward Woodward as an ex-spook-turned- private-eye who uses his connections and unique set of skills to help out people in need.

Sony plans to release The Equalizer on April 11, 2014.

Refn will have a movie out sometime this year called Only God Forgives. In the movie, Ryan Gosling stars as a man who manages a Thai boxing club in Bangkok. When his brother is killed, he sets out to find his killer in the criminal underworld.

What's next for Refn after he's done with Only God Forgives? Well, there are no shortage of movies looking for directors. With Refn's resume, we'll hear something sooner rather than later.

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1926634/news/1926634/

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